NWC WOMEN HIT LATE SEASON HURDLES
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
During a challenging week, needing just one win to secure the No. 1 seed, the Northwest College women's basketball team stumbled without two main rotation players, falling to Central Wyoming College 78-65 at home on Feb. 18 and losing on the road to Casper College 78-71 on Saturday.
CENTRAL WYOMING 78, NORTHWEST 65
Wrapping up their home schedule the Trappers (20-9 overall, 8-3 Region IX North) welcomed in the Rustlers (13-13 overall, 6-4 Region IX North) without two of their top five scorers in Isabella Williams and Madison Kaufman due to injury.
Central started the game with shots from behind the arc, a common theme throughout the first half for the visitors.
Despite that, the Trappers battled to a 6-6 tie midway through, and the hosts eventually claimed a 15-14 lead heading into the second.
Northwest opened up a 23-17 advantage three minutes into the second after an Itziar Pozas 3-pointer, before Central took control of the contest.
An 11-3 stretch gave the Rustlers the lead, and another 16-3 stretch ended the half with the visitors enjoying a 45-29 lead after shooting 9-14 from 3-point range in the quarter.
"With how well they shot in the first half, it's just really tough to come back from something like that," coach Cody Helenbolt said. "That (shooting level) doesn't really happen at any level … So good job shooting by them."
The lead hit 20 just 4:30 into the second half, and was 63-42 heading into the fourth quarter as the Rustlers continually had an answer to Trapper runs.
The lead hit as many as 22, as Northwest only got as close as 10 with late runs but couldn't find a way to get it to single digits in the 78-65 loss.
"We clawed back into it. We just dug ourselves too big of a hole," Helenbolt said.
Despite leading or equaling the visitors in nearly every statistic, shooting plagued the Trappers as they shot 23-74 (31.1%) from the field and 5-20 (25%) from 3-point range while the visitors shot 29-55 (52.7%) from the field and 17-38 (44.7%) from 3-point range.
"Just a tough game overall because of all the circumstances, we've been pretty beat down with injuries this year, and I feel like there's only so many hits you can take and still be able to really play at your top level," Helenbolt said. "It's not anybody's fault. It's just the nature of the beast when you've been practicing with a certain group all year and then it changes. It makes it pretty tough."
Pozas and McKinlee Covolo tied for the team lead with 14 points, as Emma Pique and Jaila Childress added 11 each.
Addison Hickey had nine rebounds, while Pozas led with eight steals and four assists. Pique had the lone block for the Trappers.
CASPER COLLEGE 78, NORTHWEST 71
Hoping to rebound on the road the Trappers took on the Thunderbirds (21-8 overall, 5-6 Region IX North).
Northwest started strong with a 10-0 run, and led 10-4 midway through the first quarter.
Casper rallied quickly, tying then taking the lead, ahead 18-13 heading into the second quarter.
The hosts grew the lead to eight early in the second, but the Trappers kept things within striking distance trailing 30-26 midway through.
A 7-2 stretch closed the half for the hosts, and Northwest trailed 37-28 heading into the locker room.
Casper quickly pushed the lead to double-digits, and kept that lead at 48-35 midway through the third quarter.
Northwest was unable to trim the lead to single digits heading to the fourth quarter trailing 64-50.
Casper led by as many as 17, with the Trappers getting as close as six with two minutes left before falling by a final scoreline of 78-71.
"Honestly, it just seemed like one of those weeks where nothing really went according to plan. Nothing really went right," Helenbolt said. "So hopefully it's in the past, and we can kind of move on from it and get back to playing the way we were fully healthy before that happened."
Pique led with 19 points and four assists, Childress and Pozas had 13 points each with Pozas adding five steals to lead Northwest, Hickey had 12 points while Covolo had 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.
POSTSEASON APPROACHES
The Trappers headed on the road for their final game of the season on Wednesday night, taking on third place Western Wyoming Community College (19-9 overall, 6-4 Region IX North). That result was determined after the press deadline.
"If you look at any stats, us and them are near the top in every category," Helenbolt said. "We've just got to shoot a little better, convert and pick better shots to shoot."
If Northwest won that game, it will be the No. 1 seed heading into the postseason, having the tiebreaker of sweeping the Mustangs should Gillette College win its two remaining games this week and the Mustangs
remain ahead of Casper in the standings.
The Pronghorns took on Eastern Wyoming on Wednesday, and will head to Casper on Saturday to take on the Thunderbirds.
If Northwest loses, it could drop to the No. 2 or 3 seed depending on results, with Gillette and Western still in the hunt for the No. 1 seed as well should those teams win their respective games this week.
CENTRAL WYOMING 78, NORTHWEST 65
Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()
Points — Itziar Pozas 14, McKinlee Covolo 14, Emma Pique 11, Jaila Childress 11, Addison Hickey 4, Elise Swan 3, Canyon Britt 3, Taylee Carlson 3, Fallon Millican 2
Rebounds — Addison Hickey 9 (2), McKinlee Covolo 5 (3), Emma Pique 4 (2), Itziar Pozas 4 (2), Jaila Childress 3, Canyon Britt 2 (2), Fallon Millican 2 (1), Taylee Carlson 2 (1)
Assists — Itziar Pozas 4, Jaila Childress 2, Addison Hickey 1, Taylee Carlson 1
Steals — Itziar Pozas 8, Emma Pique 3, Jaila Childress 3, Addison Hickey 1
Blocks — Emma Pique 1
CASPER COLLEGE 78, NORTHWEST 71
Points — Emma Pique 19, Jaila Childress 13, Itziar Pozas 13, Addison Hickey 12, McKinlee Covolo 11, Elise Swan 3
Rebounds — McKinlee Covolo 9 (5), Jaila Childress 8, Addison Hickey 6 (2), Emma Pique 4 (3), Fallon Millican 2, Itziar Pozas 1 (1)
Assists — Emma Pique 4, Jaila Childress 2, Addison Hickey 1, McKinlee Covolo 1
Steals — Itziar Pozas 5, Emma Pique 3, Addison Hickey 1, Jaila Childress 1, McKinlee Covolo 1
Blocks — McKinlee Covolo 2, Emma Pique 1
REGION IX NORTH STANDINGS
(as of Wednesday morning, Feb. 25)
Overall, Region IX North
1. Northwest 20-9, 8-3
2. Gillette College 19-9, 7-3
3. Western Wyoming CC 19-9, 6-4
4. Central Wyoming College 13-13, 6-4
5. Casper College 21-8, 5-6
6. Eastern Wyoming 13-14, 3-7
7. Laramie County CC 9-17, 1-9